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Peter Spani (League Of Lezhë)
Peter Spani (; 1430–1457) was an Albanian nobleman and Venetian pronoetes in the first half of the 15th century. His family's domains included territories around Shkodër (Scutari), Drisht (Drivasto) and western Kosovo.. He ruled over Shala, Shosh, Nikaj-Mërtur (Lekbibaj) and Pult; the whole region under the Ottomans took his name, Petrişpan-ili (literally, 'dominions of Pjetër Shpani'). Between 1444 and 1455, Peter was a member of the League of Lezhë and after his death, the League took his territories. Family The Spani family appears for the first time in Shkodër, c. 1322. They were involved in trade in the city and gradually became a major landowning family. Peter Spani appears in 1401 in archival documents as one of the pro-Venetian notables in the medieval city of Drivasto. The Spani seem to have been involved in a dispute with the Jonima family who during the time the Balšić family controlled it acquired lands which previously belonged to the Spani. Neverthe ...
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Spani Family
The Spani family was a noble Albanian family that emerged in the 14th century. They owned large estates in and around the fortified town of Drivasto and in neighbouring Scutari. During the late 15th century, a faction of the family settled in Venetian territories, primarily Venice itself and Dalmatia. History The Spani family possibly derived from the Shpani tribe. Their surname has acquired different interpretations. ''Spani'' may derive from the Greek word ''spanos'' (translated as "beardless, barren").; The widespread use of ''span''-/''špan''- derived toponyms in specific areas of Montenegro has produced another theory which proposes that it's a name which was adopted by the native Illyrian inhabitants who lived in the karst hill regions of Montenegro and was originally used by the Greeks of the Adriatic emporia to refer to the habitat of the natives as barren ground. However, according to a more linguistically and historically based analysis, the Spani may derive ...
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Lezhë
Lezhë (, sq-definite, Lezha) is a List of cities and towns in Albania, city in the Republic of Albania and seat of Lezhë County and Lezhë Municipality. It is one of Albania's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities, with roughly 2,400 years of recorded history. One of the main strongholds of the Labeatae, Labeatai, the earliest of the fortification walls of Lezhë are of typical Illyrians, Illyrian construction and are dated to the late 4th century BC. Lezhë was one of the main centres of the Illyrian kingdom. During the conflicts with Macedon, it was captured by Philip V of Macedon, Philip V becoming the Macedonian outlet to the Adriatic Sea. The city was later recovered by the Illyrians. It was subjected to Roman Republic, Rome after the Roman-Illyrian wars and the fall of Gentius' realm. Lezhë was the site of the League of Lezhë where Skanderbeg united the List of Princes of Albania, Albanian lords in the fight against the Ottom ...
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Treaty Of Gaeta
The Treaty of Gaeta was a political treaty signed in Gaeta on March 26, 1451, between Alfonso V for the Kingdom of Naples and Stefan, Bishop of Krujë, and Nikollë de Berguçi, ambassadors of Skanderbeg. In the treaty Skanderbeg recognized himself a vassal of the Kingdom of Naples, and in return he would have the Kingdom's protection from the Ottoman Empire. Alfonso V believed that he would be able to resurrect the politics of his Angevine predecessors and to use Albania as a foothold to further expand his realm into the Balkans. Terms of the Treaty The treaty was requested by Skanderbeg in order to ensure protection from the Ottoman Empire. Although the party on the treaty was Alfonso V himself, the treaty was signed by his main notary, Arnaldo Fonolleda. The ambassadors of Skanderbeg were respectively two bishops: Stefan was an orthodox bishop and de Berguçi was a Catholic Dominican bishop. According to the treaty, if the Albanians were to need the Kingdom of Naples's hel ...
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Alfonso V Of Aragon
Alfonso the Magnanimous (Alfons el Magnànim in Catalan language, Catalan) (139627 June 1458) was King of Aragon and King of Sicily (as Alfons V) and the ruler of the Crown of Aragon from 1416 and King of Naples (as Alfons I) from 1442 until his death. He was involved with struggles to the throne of the Kingdom of Naples with Louis III of Anjou, Joanna II of Naples and their supporters, but ultimately failed and lost Naples in 1424. He Aragonese conquest of Naples, recaptured it in 1442 and was crowned king of Naples. He had good relations with his vassal, Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, Stjepan Kosača, and his ally, Skanderbeg, providing assistance in their struggles in the Balkans. He led diplomatic contacts with the Ethiopian Empire and was a prominent political figure of the early Renaissance, being a supporter of literature as well as commissioning several constructions for the Castel Nuovo. Early life Born at Medina del Campo, he was the son of Ferdinand I of Aragon, Ferdinand o ...
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Stefan Crnojević
Stefan Crnojević ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Црнојевић), known as Stefanica (; 1426–1465) was the Zeta under the Crnojevići, Lord of Zeta between 1451 and 1465. Until 1441, as a knyaz he was one of many governors in Upper Zeta, which at that time was a province of the Serbian Despotate. He then aligned himself with the Bosnian Grand Duke, Bosnian duke, Stefan Vukčić Kosača, and remained his vassal until 1444 when he accepted Venetian Republic, Venetian suzerainty. In Venetian–held Lezhë, on 2 March 1444, Stefan and his sons forged an alliance with several noblemen from Albania, led by Skanderbeg, known as the League of Lezhë. In 1448 he returned under suzerainty of Serbian Despot Đurađ Branković. In 1451, Stefan took over the leadership of the Crnojević noble family, Crnojević family and became the ruler of a large part of Zeta, hence the title Gospodar Zetski (). Early life and family Stefan was born as the third son of Đurađ Đurašević, Đurađ Đu ...
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Theodor Corona Musachi
Theodor Corona Musachi () or Teodor III Korona Muzaka, was an Albanian nobleman who led the 1437–38 revolt against the Ottomans and was one of the founders of the League of Lezhë in 1444. Life Theodor Corona Musachi was а prominent member of the Muzaka family. They were rulers of the Principality of Muzaka, whose domains extended from Myzeqe till Kastoria, (modern-day Greece). According to John Muzaka's memoir, Theodor was the youngest son of Andrea III and his wife Chiranna Zenevisi, Lady of Grabossa. The couple had another son Lord Ginno II, who would become Lord John's father, as well as two daughters, Lady Maria and Lady Helena. Through his sister Maria, Theodor III was an in-law of Skanderbeg, who married his niece, Andronika Arianiti. In the chronicle, John Muzaka explained that Theodor inherited control over Berat from his father. However, the exact period of when the Muzaka family began to control the city, still remains unknown. Byzantine Eastern Roman source ...
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Gjergj Arianiti
Gjergj Arianiti (13??–1462) was an Albanian feudal lord who led several successful campaigns against the Ottoman Empire. He was the father of Donika, Skanderbeg's wife, as well as the uncle of Moisi Golemi. Gjergj Arianiti was Skanderbeg's ally within the League of Lezhë before abandoning the alliance after the capture of Berat by the Ottomans in 1450. He later returned. Robert Elsie emphasizes that Arianiti was often Skanderbeg's rival. He allied with the Kingdom of Naples in 1446, left his alliance with Skanderbeg by 1449 and allied with Venice in 1456. However, his daughter married Skanderbeg and he remained officially part of the League of Lezhe, continuing to fight Ottomans successfully up to his death in 1462. Name His name is most commonly known in the Albanian form, ''Gjergj Arianiti''. In English, it is usually rendered as George Arianiti. In correspondence with Slavic chancelleries, his name appears in the Slavic form as "Golem Arianit Komnenovic" (Golemi Arenit ...
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Gojko Balšić
Gojko Balšić or Gojko Balsha (; ; fl. 1444) and his brothers George Strez and John were the lords of Misia, a coastal area from the White Drin towards the Adriatic. The brothers were members of the house of Balšić, which earlier held the Lordship of Zeta. They participated in founding the League of Lezhë, an alliance led by their maternal uncle Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg. Gojko supported Skanderbeg until the latter's death in 1468, and then continued to fight against the Ottomans within Venetian forces. Family There are two views of his genealogy. According to Gjon Muzaka and Karl Hopf, Ivan (John, Gjon) and Gojko Strez Balšić were in fact children of Vlajka Kastrioti and Stefan Strez who was a son of Đurađ Balšić, an illegitimate child of Đurađ I Balšić. According to Fan Noli, Gojko had two brothers (George Strez and Ivan), both children of Jela Kastrioti and Pavle Balšić. Both views confirm that Gojko was Skanderbeg's nephew.Spandouginos-Nicol, p. 96: ...
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George Strez Balšić
George Strez Balšić ( sr-Cyrl, Ђурађ Стрезов Балшић; ) or Gjergj Strez Balsha ( 1444–57) and his brothers Gojko and Ivan were the lords of Misia, a coastal area from the White Drin towards the Adriatic. The brothers were members of the Balšić noble family, which had earlier held Zeta. They participated in founding of the League of Lezhë, an alliance led by their maternal uncle Skanderbeg. George later betrayed Skanderbeg, by selling a domain to the Ottomans, while his two brothers continued to support Skanderbeg until his death and then continued to fight for the Venetian forces. Family According to Fan S. Noli George and his brothers Ivan and Gojko were nephews of Skanderbeg from his sister Jelena who married Pavle Balšić. Genealogy of Kastrioti family written by Karl Hopf does not present the information about George Strez Balšić being a son of Skanderbeg's sister Jelena. League of Lezhë The three Balšić brothers joined the League of Lez ...
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Lekë Dushmani
Lekë Dushmani was an Albanian nobleman and one of the founding members of League of Lezhë, formed on 2 March 1444. Life A member of the Dushmani family he ruled over the region of Zadrima, in modern Shkodër District. In Venetian documents he is also mentioned along with his relative Damian as lord of Pult in 1446. Leka joined the League of Lezhë, an alliance formed by their maternal uncle Skanderbeg, after meeting in the St. Nicholas Church in Lezhë on March 2, 1444. The other members included Lekë Zaharia, Peter Spani, Andrea Thopia, Gjergj Arianiti, Theodor Korona Muzaka, Stefan Crnojević, George Strez Balsha, and their subjects. Skanderbeg was elected its leader, and commander in chief of its armed forces numbering a total of 8,000 warriors. His descendants include among others Antonio Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan language, Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language–speaking popu ...
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Nicholas Dukagjini
Nicholas Dukagjini (, ) was a 15th-century member of the Dukagjini family. Biography Nicholas Dukagjini was the son of Gjergj Dukagjini, who died before 1409 when Nicholas was mentioned for the first time as the landlord of two villages near Lezhë (Alessio) and the commander of a 140 men troop (40 cavalry and 100 infantry). Nicholas' name appears in documents of 1409. He participated in Albanian Revolt of 1432–1436 led by Gjergj Arianiti, during which he succeeded in regaining the territory held by his family before the Ottoman conquest of Albania. He even managed to capture Dagnum which he promptly granted to Venice. Unwilling to provoke the Ottomans, Venice returned Dagnum to Ottoman control in 1435. League of Lezhë Nicholas Dukagjini was one of the founding members of League of Lezhë, a military alliance of some members of the Albanian nobility forged in Lezhë on 2 March 1444 by: * Lekë Zaharia (lord of Sati and Dagnum), and his vassals Pal and Nicholas Dukag ...
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Pal Dukagjini
Pal Dukagjini (, 1411–1458) was an Albanian nobleman, a member of the Dukagjini family. He and his kinsman Nicholas Dukagjini were initially subjects of Lekë Zaharia, a Venetian vassal who had possessions around Shkoder. Nicholas murdered Lekë, and the Dukagjini continued to rule over their villages under Venetian vassalage. Pal and Nicholas were part of the League of Lezhë, a military alliance that sought liberation of Albania from the Ottoman Empire, founded by the powerful Skanderbeg. In 1454, the Dukagjini accepted vassalage of Alfonso V of Aragon, as other chieftains had done three years earlier. Pal later abandoned Skanderbeg's army and deserted to the Ottomans. Life He was one of the founding members of the League of Lezhë, a military alliance of some Christian members of the Albanian nobility forged in Lezhë on 2 March 1444 by: * Lekë Zaharia (lord of Sati and Dagnum), and his vassals Pal and Nicholas Dukagjini * Peter Spani (lord of the mountains behin ...
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